Cylinder relief-valve.



' A. SPENCER.

' CYLINDER RELIEF VALVE.

(APPIiflfl-tiun filed Sept. 21I 1901.)

Patented May 27, I902.

No. 700,845. Patented May 27, I902.

A. SPENCER.

CYLINDER RELIEF VALVE.

(Application fllei' Sept. 2 1901.)

(No Model.)

6 Sheet$$heet 2.

mr x 4444 IS virus on. PNOTO-LITNQ, wASnmGTOM. s c.

No. 700,845. Pafented May 27, I902.

A. SPENCER.

CYLINDER RELIEF VALVE.

(Application filed Sept. 21, 1901. v

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

No. 700,845. Patented may 27,- 190 2.

' A. SPENCER.

CYLINDER BELIEF VALVE.

' (Application filed s c. 21,1901.

. 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Modgl.)

No. 700,845. Patented May 27, I902. A. SPENCER.

CYLINDER BELIEF VALVE (Application filed Sept. 21, 1901.)

6 Sheets-Sheet- 5.

(No Model.)

'No. 700,845. Patentd May 27, I902.

A SPENCER CYLINDER BELIEF VALVE.

(Application filed Sept. 21, 1901.)

6 Sheets-Sheet 6,

(No Model.)

I Tins cu. mo'mum UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CYLINDER RELIEF-VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No.

700,845, dated May 27, 1902.

Application filed September 21,1901. $erial No. 76,022. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER SPENCER, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing in the city of London, England, have invented Improved Cylinder Relief-Valves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to an improved relief-valve arrangement for locomotive and other engines, wherein the steam distribution is efiected by piston or other valves, which arrangement comprises a series of small cylindrical chambers, one for each end of each engine-cylinder and one for each steam-chest, the arrangement being such that each end of each engine-cylinder and each steam-chest has one pipe or passage connection to a relief-passage or arrangement of passages communicating with a spout or outlet and each of said connections is under control of a piston or cylindrical valve located within the corresponding small cylindrical chamber. The lower ends of the small cylindrical chambers are open to a steamchamber, which is in communication with the boiler, (preferably the dome, where there is one,) either directly or through a three-way cook, the arrangement being such that normally when the engine is under steam the piston-valve will by the pressure of steam within the chamber above mentioned be kept against their seats, and thereby the enginecylinders and steam-chests will be cut off from the relief-outlet, but that if the pressure inany of the said connecting pipes or passages leading from the respective cylinders and the steam-chests to the relief apparatus should at any time exceed the pressure (practically the boiler-pressure) for the time being in the steam-chamber below the pistonvalves the corresponding valve or valves will open, and thus the excess of pressure will be relieved,whereupon the piston valve or valves will again close. When there is no steam in the steam-chamber,all the piston-valves will be open and any water that may have accumulated above them by condensation or otherwise will escape. Such an apparatus may be variously constructed.

Referring to the accompanying illustrative drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line a a, Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 a horizontal section on the line b b, Fig. 1, of one construction of improved relief-valve arrangement. Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sections at right angles to each other of a modified arrangement; and Figs. 5 and 6 are horizontal sections on the lines 0 c and d d, Fig. 4. Figs. 7 to 13 are detail views hereinafterreferred to.

e e are the cylindrical chambers, smaller upper portions of which are connected to the cylinder ends and valve-chests. f f are the pistons or cylindrical valves located therein; g, the relief-passage; h, the spout or outlet therefrom; 'i, the steam-chamber, and j the passage by which steam is admitted direct from the boiler to the chamber 1'.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the cylindrical chambers e e are in two par allel rows, and they and the upper relief-passages and the lower steam'-passage i are formed in one casting, access to each cylindrical chamber 6 being afforded by openings 70, (one to each,) formed in the lower part of the casting, which openings are closed by screw-plugs l.

The passage on leads to the top middle chamber 8, Fig. 2, from the steam-chest of one cylinder, and the passages 91 and 0 lead, respectively, from the back and front ends of the same cylinder. The passage 19 leads to the bottom middle chamber e, Fig. 2, from the steam-chest and the passages qand 1", re-

spectively, from the back and front of the other cylinder.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6 the cylindrical chambers e are arranged in an annular row in a casting and there is a central hole 3, through which is passed a bolt t, whereby the nest of cylindrical chambers can be attached to the cylinder casting or framing of the engine, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

The inlet j for steam to the steam-chamber of the apparatus may be through an opening 70, provided to afiord access when required to one of the piston-valves of the apparatus, as shown in Fig. 5, wherein one of the screwplugs Z is formed as an externally-threaded union.

In a modification of the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 3 to 8 instead of a central bolt 'hole 8 there is a central steam passage or chamber 20, whereof the upper part is connect-.

ed to the boiler (directly or otherwise) and the lower part to-the space or spaces t below the pistons or cylindrical valves. In this case the casting is formed or provided with an externally-screwed neck 00, to whose upper end is coupled the pipe j, leading to the boiler, while the casting is fixed in place by means of a nut or nuts g on a lower externallyscrewed part of the neck, below which there is a suitable shoulder .2. i

One of the openings 70 or a special opening may be fitted in the manner illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 with a relief-valve a, which when there is no steam in the steam-chamber of the apparatus will be kept open by a spring '0 to allow escape of any Water arising from condensation in the said steam-chamber.

In some cases a three-way cock, such as shown in Fig.13, is interposed between the apparatus and the boiler, one branch, 1', of which is connected to the boiler through a suitable mounting, (which may be an existing one,) another, 2, to the steam-chamber '5 of the apparatus, and the third, 3, to waste, by which arrangement it is possible to reduce the pressure in the steam-space under the piston-valves, so that the water in the cylinders and steam-chests can escape at a pressure considerably below the boiler-pressure.

What I claim is' 1. A relief-valve arrangement for locomo tive and other engines, comprising a series of chambers, a passage leading from one end of each chamber to a space to be relieved, a common steam-chamber into which the other 7 mon steam-chamber into which the other ends of the series of chambers open, a reliefpassage and, located in said series ofchambers, a series of valves which control communication between said chambers and the relief-passage, said chambers and relief and steam passages being formed in one casting, a series of openings in said casting, one opposite each chamber and each closed by a screwplug, as set forth.

3. A relief-valve arrangement for locomotive and other engines, comprising a series of chambers, a passage leading from one end of each chamber to a space to be relieved, acommon steamchamber into which the other ends of the series of chambers open, a reliefpassage and, located in said series of chambers, a series of valves which control communication between said chambersand the relief-passage, said chambersand relief and steam passages being formed in one casting, and arranged in an annular row, as set forth.

4. A relief-valve arrangement for locomotive and other engines, comprising a series of chambers, a passage leading from one end of each chamber to a space to be relieved, a common steam-chamber into which the other ends of the series of chambers open, a reliefpassage and, located in said series of chambers, a series of valves which control communication between'said chambers and the relief-passage, said chambers and relief and steam passages being formed in one casting, and arranged in an annular row, and centrally-disposed means for attaching the casting to its support, as set forth.

5. A relief-valve arrangement for locomotive and other engines, comprising a series of chambers, a passage leading from one end of each chamber to a space to be relieved, a common steam-chamber into which the other ends of the series of chambers open, a reliefpassage and,- located in said series of chambers, a series of valves which control communication between said chambers and the relief-passage, a steam-supply, pipe connec* tions between said steam-supply and steam chambers, and a three-way cock, one branch being connected to the steam-supply, one to the steam-chamber and the third to waste, as set forth. I

6. A relief-valve arrangement for locomo tive and other engines, comprising a series of chambers, a passage leading from one end of each chamber to a space to be relieved, a common steam-chamber into which the other ends of the seriesof chambers open, a reliefpassage and, located in said series of chambers, a series of valves which control communication between said chambers and the relief-passage, said chambers and relief and steam passages being formed in one casting, and arranged in an annular row, centrallyas set forth. 7

7. A relief-valve arrangement for locomo- :'tive and other engines, comprising a series of chambers, a passage leading from one end of each chamber to a space to be relieved, a common steam-chamber into which the other ends of the series of chambers open, a reliefpassage, located in said series of chambers, a series of valves which control communication between said chambers and the reliefpassage, said chambers and relief and steam passages being formed in one casting, and arranged in an annular row, centrally-disposed means for attaching the casting to its support, a series of openings in said casting,

one opposite each chamber and each closed Signed at 77 Cannon street, London, E. 0., by a, screw-plug, and a. steam-supply, pipe this 26th day of August, 1901. connections between said steam-supply and steam-chamber, and a three-way cook one ALEXANDER SPENCER 5 branch being connected to the steam-supply, Witnesses:

one to the steam-chamber and the third to PERCY E. MATTOCKS, Waste, as set forth. A EDMUND S. SNEWIN. 

